Koreas open new talks on troubled joint industrial park as South seeks worker’s release

SEOUL, South Korea — North and South Korea held a new round of talks Thursday on their troubled joint industrial complex, including Seoul’s demand that a detained South Korean worker be freed, though there was no apparent progress.

NKorea demands higher payments at joint industrial park, but leaves door open for compromise

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea refused to back down Friday on its demand for a massive increase in payments at a joint industrial park, but offered to relax border restrictions that have undermined the complex — a sign it may still want to keep the zone.

SKorea rejects North’s demand for higher wages, rent, demands release of its worker

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea on Friday rejected North Korea’s demand for a massive increase in wages and rent at a joint industrial park struggling to stay afloat, leaving the fate of more than 100 companies and 40,000 workers there hanging in balance.

Seoul seeks freedom of SKorean worker in new talks with NKorea on joint industrial complex

SEOUL, South Korea — Officials from the two Koreas held talks Friday on the fate of a joint industrial complex, facing an uncertain future after North Korea detained a South Korean working there and later demanded a 3,000 percent hike in rent for the site.

Official: SKorea to demand NKorea release detained worker during this week’s rare talks

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea will demand the release of a citizen held by North Korea when the two countries meet for a third round of talks over the fate of a troubled joint factory park, an official said Thursday.

SKorean firm to withdraw from industrial complex in North Korea amid tensions

SEOUL, South Korea — A South Korean company has decided to pull out from a troubled industrial complex in North Korea amid tensions on the peninsula over the North’s recent nuclear and missile tests, officials said Tuesday.

NKorea nixes any dialogue with SKorea after Seoul criticizes North’s human rights record

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea said Saturday that it would not even consider talking with South Korea, lashing out at Seoul for criticizing the isolated country’s human rights record.

NKorean demands for better wages at joint industrial complex put South into serious dilemma

SEOUL, South Korea — A joint project between the Koreas to build an industrial park in the North was hailed as a symbol of detente, but it has now become another point of friction between the two countries.

North Korea accuses South Korea of tampering with border marker, threatens retaliation

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea accused South Korea of tampering with a border marker and threatened to retaliate Wednesday, a day after their first official talks in more than a year ended without progress.